It is implied that Forrest accidentally inspires the lyrics to Lennon's song "Imagine". After Cavett introduces Forrest and Lennon to each other, he asks Forrest what China was like. Forrest says "Well, in the land of China, people hardly got nothing at all," and Lennon asks "No possessions?" Forrest then says "And in China, they never go to church," to which Lennon says "No religion, too?" Here, Cavett interjects "Hard to imagine", but Lennon says "Well, it's easy if you try, Dick." All three of these spoken phrases by Lennon are worked into the famous song.

Forrest, narrating his life story at the bus stop in Savannah, Georgia, explains then how John Lennon was later assassinated "for no particular reason at all".